Check Out Our Genealogy Blog »
Start with a Good General Search Site
| Share | Tweet |
If you are just beginning or have been doing family history research for awhile, it is always beneficial to check out some of the basic online genealogical sites. A good overall general site is Access Genealogy. It has been and remains a free resource online for genealogical data.
The original backbone to the site over ten years ago was information and data on each of the fifty United States. This is very well organized with most of the information coming from links of other sites. For example, under the state of Michigan there are biographies, African-American Records, Census, Maps, Military and other vital records. Some sources are the FamilySearch site, others from USGenWeb Michigan site or the National Archives. What makes Access Genealogy unique is the bonus material.
They have scanned hundreds of vintage books which contain all types of rare information. For Michigan there is a listing of Military Posts established in the Michigan region from its earliest settlement to 1902. That book was printed by the U. S. War Department in 1902. This very extra supplement offers all types of surprises of information as it adds new scanned books all the time.
Included is a listing of all genealogy Rootsweb sites that related to each state. Some of the selections there for Michigan consist of Lakeshore High School of Macomb County, Class of 1958 and the City Directories for Branch County from 1860 to 1926.
It is nice to have a listing and link of the subscription-fee sources also related to Michigan. There is a Michigan Business Directory for 1863, a farm directory for Hilldale Co., Michigan from 1919 to 1924 and Naturalization Records in Iosco County, Michigan for 1885 to 1910.
Having the selection of sources for each state is great, but Access Genealogy has added many categories relating to any location. There are Biographies, History Books, Surnames, Cemetery records, Military records and a selection of genealogy from outside the United States.
The site has a great selection of Native American Records. It covers tribes by location, how to prove any Indian heritage, cemeteries for tribes, scanned books and articles on Native Indians and tribal histories.
Interesting items are always being added. A recent check showed the newest additions were the History and Directory of the original Plymouth Colony, the Famous American Belles of the 19th century, a history of Idaho, the sea captains of Old Marblehead and their ships, the 1889 Johnstown, PA flood and marriages in South Carolina from 1766 to 1782.
With each category and listing is some background information. With the Johnstown flood of 1889; the history and aftermath was written, along with a map and then a listing in alphabetic order of the flood victims, their ages if known and addresses of burial location.
This helpful online site is essential for anyone doing their family history.
